Saturday, September 09, 2006

The Chinese Fan Palm has distinct foliage, which looks just as the name sounds. Large, bright green fan-shaped leaves radiate from their own small stalks. The Chinese Fan Palm requires more space than your average houseplant due to the large foliage it supports as well as its spread.

This houseplant prefers full sun, so keep within 3 feet of a window which receives sunlight for at least 4 to 5 hours. Be sure to also keep the plant away from heat and cooling sources such as vents or doors so that it maintains a consistent temperature. Your Chinese Fan Palm will also enjoy a daily misting of water to help satisfy its humidity requirements. If the leaf tips turning brown, you probably are not keeping the humidity levels high enough.

Another main area to watch for with this houseplant is its water level. The Chinese Fan Palm requires heavy watering, so be sure to keep the soil moist at all times, but at the same time, do not over water. You don't want the soil to become soggy. Soggy soil is always a good candidate for root rot.

I personally have never had any problems with bugs or disease with my Chinese Fan Palm, however spider mites can be common with this houseplant. If bugs appear on your plant, simply mist with a soapy water mixture twice daily until gone.

This plant is a slow grower, so don't feel discouraged if it seems its size is remaining constant.

23 Comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello,

I just bought a 10" chinese fan palm about 2 1/2 ft, not in great condition, but decided it was too nice to pass up. The tips are browning slightly and a bit cracked in the middle of each "finger." I'm not sure if cutting the tips would be any good or if there is a special way in which to cut the tips. Also I have it next to a west window, which can get pretty hot and sunny throughout the day. I have read that younger plants do well in partially shaded areas. So far I've been watering twice a week and misting on a daily basis, even during the day if I can so as not to let it become to dry. Any ideas? Can I keep the plant alive and thriving this way?

You seem to be right on track in terms of caring for your Chinese Fan Palm. Keep it up. If the palms foliage begins to brown more, then move it away from the light. From what it sounds now though, it's just browning like a typical palm will.

Ahh, the tips of my fan palm continue to turn brown. I just moved it to the other side of a west facing window where it will receive indirect light throughout most of the day and direct sunlight only as the sun is setting for about 2-3 hours. I still water twice a week, in which I water the plant thoroughly wait for the excess water to drain out and place the palm back to where it was. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Should I trim the brown tips?

Ok I see I am not the only one who has a Chinese Fan Palm that is turning brown on the tips. You all make me feel better, not make my plant. I have 2 that are about 9-10 feet each. I got them about a month ago (May 08). Is this just typcal for them? Or am I doing something wrong? The lady whom I got them from said only use distilled water, because our water has floride. Distilled or tap? Any truth to this? I just want them to live, they are HUGE!!

(ATL GA)I have 4 of these that i got free from a wedding. They live outside right now since the summer is pretty warm, my tips are also brown. I water them every 3-4 days, they fall right over if the 5th day comes along and they haven't been watered.

I dug up a "baby" Chinese fan palm in SW Florida (abour a 4" frond on top). I know it was by all the other palm around being Chinese fan palm. I planted it in the same sand soil it was growing in. The frond turned crispy and yellow-brown. I water it every 2 days or so and it drains and it is sitting on an East facing window sill. I am in WI. Is there any way to bring baby fan palm back or a check to see if it is still alive even though the frond turned crispy?

It's hard to say. Taking an outdoor plant from a very humid climate back to WI was probably a big adjustment. Continue watering and caring for the palm as stated above. Also, be sure to mist it daily seeing as Wisconsin doesn't have much humidity this time of year.

I have had a chinese fan palm for several years and it did well until a couple of weeks ago. I forgot to water it and all the greenery turned brown and withered. I started cutting them off as they turned, but now the entire plant is withered. Did I kill it or is a chance it will regrow on the stalks?

Its hard to say. Has anything else changed in its environment? Did you overwater it after realizing your under watered the plant? You can try cutting all the brown foliage off, this will relieve stress on the plant keeping it from using energy to help un-savable parts of the plant, making it focus on new growth instead.

I have a chinese fan palm that has three main stalks with stems and leaves as high as 10 feet tall. I was wondering if it is possible to seperate them and replant three seperate plants without killing the entire plant? If os, how do I do it and when is the best time of the year to attempt??

I just noticed a strange green bulge on the trunk of my 3-yr-old CFP and it actually looks like a couple of new leaves have somehow turned 180 degrees and are growing back into the trunk! I pulled on one and the leaf tip came out, yellow but looking all the world like a new leaf, but the second one is jammed itself into the trunk. Have you ever heard of this before? Is it dangerous? Should I cut it off or leave it alone? Thanks

hello,we have a chinese fan palm that seems to be dying as the entire foliage is becoming brown and dry. we have it indoors but in a dark place and take it out a couple hours/day in day light. is it the lack of daylight that is killing the palm ? should we cut the brown leafs and have it only in daylight to revive it ?thank you for your precious help

yes i just bought a chinese palm and i live in new mexico, i was wondering if the plant would do bad with a little bit of a cold brezze of if that would be to much of and adjusment for it? because i have it in my living room between the firplace and couch but we do not use the fire place? also for the humidity would it work if i put a plate wit rocks for the humidity? your respnse would be very much apprecited thank you.

Hi, I have just rescued a 5' Fan Palm Plant from the outside weather, i'm in Vancouver area and it's moody weather, first it's warm then it's cold. i put it infront of my living room wondow, so it's getting lots of light. But did have to cut some brown tips off, if any body can give me advice on this baby, please do so. ThnksRenee.

I just bought one too and the lady at the garden told me to cut the brown tips off to a point. Not square. If the leaves turn yellow your probably watering too much. If they are brown, then your underwatering.

PLANTED 12 CHINESE PALMS 7 WEEKS AGO OUTSIDE. LIVE IN LA (LOWER ALABAMA) AND THE PALMS ARE 6 FEET TALL AND DOING GREAT AS WE HAVE HAD AN USUALLY WET JUNE AND JULY. WHEN SHOULD I FERTILIZE THEM AND WHAT KIND OF FERTILIZER SHOULD I USE?